


Parent-Teacher Conferences

by chibi_nightowl



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Capes, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Matchmaking, Pre-Relationship, Single Dad!Tim, Teacher! Jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 18:22:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15418884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl
Summary: Tim glanced at his daughter again and caught her looking away from him, but not before he saw the barest hint of a smile on her face. He knew that look. He’d seen it on Steph’s face a million times.“What are you up to, little bean?” Tim asked bluntly.Wide blue eyes gazed back at him. “Nothing, Daddy! I promise!”





	Parent-Teacher Conferences

**Author's Note:**

  * For [glaciya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaciya/gifts).



> Inspired by a Tumblr prompt from glaciya (Pisces314). I really think I could make a massively long story out of this, but for now, here's how it would begin!

Tim absently paid attention to his long ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter jabber on about work through their weekly video chat while he went through his email. Stephanie was a nurse who worked for the Red Cross and regularly traveled around the world to assist with medical needs in different disaster areas with her wife Cassandra. He wasn’t entirely sure what Cass did, but she was a Wayne heir so it wasn’t like she needed a job or a reason to travel.  
  
One particular email caught his attention and Tim frowned as he read it.  
  
“Tim, I know that look. You’re not paying any attention to what I’m saying,” Steph said, calling him out.  
  
“Sorry, I was just reading an email from one of Abby’s teachers. It sounds like there may be a problem at school.” But what? Abby wasn’t quite a teenager yet and seemed happy enough living with him full time now that her mom lived overseas more often than not.  
  
“Which one?” Stephanie asked, frowning as well. She’s dealt with their daughter’s schooling for the last several years and knew the school and administration well enough.  
  
“Jason Todd. I think he’s her reading teacher?”  
  
Steph’s face lit up. “Oh, he’s yummy. Easy on the eyes and really smart. He loves books and kids. He’s been Abby’s teacher since she got into the advanced reading program last year.”  
  
Tim ignored most of what his ex said and chose to comment on the applicable part. “Does Abby like him?”  
  
“Yeah. I’ve never heard her say anything bad at least. Even recently.”  
  
They’d chatted over the weekend if Tim remembered correctly. “I wonder what’s going on then.”  
  
He opened a reply to the message and typed out a response, stating he’ll meet with Mr. Todd at whatever time was convenient for him this week. As a software programmer, Tim had a pretty flexible schedule. It’s also part of what made him the better parent to have full legal custody of his eleven year old daughter at the moment. Stephanie knew her current job wasn’t conducive to raising a little girl, not now that she was gone so often. They may have been too young to become parents and never actually married, but they both agreed that they’d do their best to do right by their daughter and were still close friends.  
  
“Keep me up to date, yeah?” Stephanie asked.  
  
“Always.”  
  
~*~*~  
  
Tim was hesitant to bring up his upcoming parent teacher conference with Abby but after thinking about it while he started dinner, he decided it would be best if he did. Lack of communication could be a problem and he wanted his daughter to feel like she could talk to him about whatever, just like she could with her mom.  
  
Abby had gone to a friend’s house up the street after school, but was home promptly at five o’clock.  
  
“Hi, Dad!” the little girl said cheerfully as she came bouncing in through the front door to the brownstone they called home.  
  
“Heya, little bean!” Tim called out. “I’m in the kitchen!”  
  
The door slammed shut and a moment later, the black haired bundle of energy appeared. She may have his coloring but her features were all her mother. “Are you trying to burn dinner again?” she asked, dropping her bag on the dining table.  
  
“No, I’m actually making dinner,” Tim corrected her. “See, I got all the steps listed out, right here.”  
  
YouTube was a godsend for someone like Tim who never mastered basic cooking skills as a child.  
  
“You’re hopeless.” Abby gave him a quick hug and went to the sink to wash her hands so she could help. Cooking together was their thing.  
  
Tim waited until after dinner and they were doing dishes to talk to her. “I got an email today from one of your teachers.”  
  
Abby quieted instantly and shot him a nervous glance. “Yeah?”  
  
“Mr. Todd asked to set up a meeting with me. Didn’t give me more information than that. Is there something you want to talk about?” Tim asked carefully, watching his daughter out of the corner of his eye. Something seemed off but he wasn’t sure what.  
  
“No,” Abby replied quietly. “I like that class a lot.” The little girl was a massive bookworm. On the rare occasions he or Steph ever had to punish her, taking away her books and tablet was more effective than grounding her from TV or video games.  
  
Tim frowned and turned back to the plate he was washing. “Is there something going on in another class? You’re not being bullied, are you?”  
  
A quick shake of her head was his answer. “No! I mean, I get teased when I have to leave the rest of my class when I go math and reading, but so do Mandy and Sean.”  
  
These were two classmates who were in the same accelerated classes as Abby. He glanced at his daughter again and caught her looking away from him, but not before he saw the barest hint of a smile on her face. Tim knew that look. He’d seen it on Steph’s face a million times.  
  
“What are you up to, little bean?” Tim asked bluntly.  
  
Wide blue eyes gazed back at him. “Nothing, Daddy! I promise!”  
  
Tim didn’t buy the innocent act for a second. “Then I suppose I’ll find out what’s going on from Mr. Todd then.”  
  
Abby bit her lip and looked away. “There’s nothing to worry about.”  
  
“I’m your dad,” Tim replied, ruffling her hair. “It’s kinda my job.”  
  
~*~*~  
  
His meeting with Mr. Todd was two days later after school had let out for the day. Abby was already at her intramural soccer practice. She got her athletic ability from Steph because Tim sure couldn’t do more than dribble the ball down the field and that was if he were lucky. He tripped regularly on a flat sidewalk.  
  
Tim wasn’t sure how to dress for something like this. He’d gone to parent teacher conferences before but this seemed more formal somehow. Slacks and a pressed shirt seemed to fit the occasion and Tim grimaced as he pulled his hair back from his face. Haircuts were a pain in his ass and Steph always trimmed Abby’s hair or took her to get it cut when she was in Gotham.  
  
He followed the directions he was given at the administration office when he picked up his visitor badge. The halls seemed so devoid of life this late in the afternoon as he tried to find the right room.  
  
Eventually, Tim found it and knocked on the door.  
  
“It’s open!” a surprisingly young voice called out. How old was Mr. Todd? Steph had said he was yummy but that could mean anything. She said the same thing about her father-in-law.  
  
Tim opened the door and peered inside the classroom. It was smaller than the usual rooms, with maybe fifteen desks total. Plastered all over the walls were movie posters to different novels that had been adapted to the silver screen, mostly classic novels from the looks of it. At the front of the room, standing from behind his desk, was Mr. Todd.  
  
Holy crap. Tim swallowed as he entered and closed the door. This guy wasn’t just yummy. He was divine. Black hair like his, trimmed neatly but his features were striking, with a strong jaw and a full mouth that was already pulling back into a small smile. He was also incredibly well built, with broad shoulders and thighs like tree trunks.  
  
Tim felt his own mouth dry out as he crossed the room. This was his daughter’s teacher? He looked like he belonged on a sports team or a cover of a magazine, not sitting here in a dinky little public school classroom.  
  
“Mr. Drake?” the man said, holding out his hand. “I’m Jason Todd. Thanks for meeting with me today.”  
  
“Tim Drake,” Tim managed to reply and shook the teacher’s large hand. His grip was warm and firm, but not overly so. He drew a deep breath and put his game face on. This was Abby’s teacher, not someone to drool over. “I appreciate you reaching out to me, although I’m curious as to what this is about. I asked Abby and she played all innocent with me.”  
  
“To be honest, I have a feeling I’m playing right into her little game by meeting with you,” Jason said. “Have a seat and I’ll explain.”  
  
Game? What was going on? Tim sat down, feeling much more concerned than he did before.  
  
Jason sat as well and leaned back, giving Tim an assessing look. This close, he could see the man’s eyes were an arresting shade of blue green.  
  
“First off, I want to say that nothing is wrong with Abby or her grades. She does very well in this class and if I could skip her ahead, I would. Her reading comprehension levels are already at 7th grade.”  
  
That was two years higher than her age group. Tim felt proud of that fact. “Both her mom and me love reading with her. Have for as long as I can remember.”  
  
“I love hearing that.” Jason grinned and it was like fireworks were going off in Tim’s chest. Damn, he needed to stop this. “I understand that Abby has only been in your custody for about six months. But I remember your ex-wife saying you’ve always been very involved with her.”  
  
Tim held up a hand. “Steph and I were never married,” he said, correcting the teacher. “We were dating and accidents happen. When Steph decided to keep Abby, I told her I’d help in whatever way I could and I did. I love my daughter very much and would do anything for her.”  
  
“My apologies. Ms. Brown always spoke of you as being in the picture but I must have assumed you were divorced.”  
  
“It happens often.”  
  
Jason nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. The fabric of his dress shirt strained over his broad shoulders. “Let me get to the point then. Abby has taken it into her head to play matchmaker.”  
  
Tim felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. “With who?”  
  
“You and me. I make no bones amongst the staff here that I’m gay, but it’s not something I advertise to my students. Abby apparently found out somehow and has been filling my ears with chatter about her very single father who just so happens to be bisexual and a complete nerd.”  
  
Heat began to seep into Tim’s face and along the back of his neck. “I am so sorry,” he said, completely taken aback his daughter’s behavior. She had never done anything like this before. “We had the sexuality talk with Abby a couple years ago when Steph started dating a woman. I had to come clean about my preferences as well since I was dating a man at the time.”  
  
“That explains quite a bit actually. I knew Ms. Brown had married another woman. It seems to me that Abby just wants to see you happy too.” Jason gave Tim that small smile again.  
  
“I guess so but this isn’t the way to go about it,” Tim replied with a shake of his head. “Good lord are we going to have a talk when she gets home tonight.”  
  
“As long as she stops, we’re fine,” Jason said. “She never does it when her classmates are around, but the last thing I need is for her to talk to her friends about this little scheme of hers.”  
  
Tim quietly wished he could have met Jason under different circumstances. He was obviously caring and compassionate. And good with kids, a definite plus in his book. “I’ll make it very clear she’s to drop it immediately and if she doesn’t, then there will be consequences. Heck, there’s already a grounding in her very near future.”  
  
Jason nodded and stood, indicating their meeting was over. “That’s all I can ask for. I appreciate your time, Mr. Drake. I wish we could have met under different circumstances,” he said, echoing Tim’s earlier thoughts.  
  
“Likewise,” he replied, standing and holding out his hand again. “I’m so sorry for any embarrassment Abby may have caused you.”  
  
“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Jason replied, giving Tim a more obvious once over as he shook his hand. “I have to admit, if your daughter wasn’t in my class, I’d probably ask you out for coffee sometime. I have a thing for nerds.”  
  
Tim gaped like an idiot before he recovered. “And I have a thing for tree trunks. I mean legs. I mean...” Okay, so the recovery wasn’t the smoothest but it got the point across. “I’m just going to leave and crawl under a rock now.”  
  
Jason chuckled as he let go of Tim’s hand. “Well, maybe we can revisit this after the school year is over and Abby’s off to middle school.”  
  
Now this was something Tim could get behind. “Gladly.”

 


End file.
